Les Paul to Be Honored By Rock Hall With American Music Masters Concert

Guitarist Les Paul will be honored by the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Gibson Guitars on November 15th as part of this year's American Music Masters series. "The Wizard of Waukesha: The Life and Legacy of Les Paul" will hit the stage of Cleveland's Playhouse Square State Theatre and feature a week's worth of events dedicated to the guitar pioneer, including panels, film screenings and even an academic conference. The tribute culminates with a concert on the 15th, which organizers hope the 93-year-old Paul can attend. Paul was inducted into the RRHOF in 1988 and performed a sold-out show at the venue in 2004. The list of performers that will play the concert will be announced soon. Paul is only the second living American musician to be honored by the American Music Masters series; past honorees include Sam Cooke, Roy Orbison and Buddy Holly. At last year's tribute to Jerry Lee Lewis, the Pretenders' Chrissie Hynde, George Thorogood and Kris Kristofferson took the stage.

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Song Stories

“Smells Like Teen Spirit”

Nirvana | 1991

"Smells Like Teen Spirit," named after a brand of deodorant marketed to girls, was Kurt Cobain's attempt to "write the ultimate pop song," he said, using the soft-loud dynamic of his favorite band, the Pixies. Cobain "had that dichotomy of punk rage and alienation," the song’s producer, Butch Vig, told Rolling Stone, "but also this vulnerable pop sensibility. In 'Teen Spirit,' a lot of that vulnerability is in the tone of his voice." Sadly, by the time of Nirvana's last U.S. tour, in late '93, Cobain was tortured by the obligation to play "Teen Spirit" every night. "There are many other songs that I have written that are as good, if not better," he claimed.

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